NSA Nominee Warns Cyberthreats Will Only Increase(The New York Times: David Sanger)But Vice Adm. Michael Rogers declined to be specific about how he might change the collection of telephone metadata or other information about the communications of Americans.

Ukraine's Interim Leader Seeks Aid in Washington(The New York Times: Peter Baker)Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk's visit with President Obama and congressional leaders comes at a critical time for Ukraine.

INTELLIGENCE

NSA Nominee Rogers Sees Cyberwarfare as a Norm in Conflicts(Bloomberg: Gopal Ratnam)Rogers said Ukraine is the target of cyberattacks now and said Internet warfare "will be an element of any crisis we're going to see in the future."

Navy Admiral Relays Concerns About NSA Changes(Associated Press: Lolita Baldor)The NSA nominee is expressing concerns about the U.S. government turning over the bulk collection of telephone data to an independent third party, saying it could result in higher costs and delays identifying potential threats.

NSA Nominee Backs Obama on Shifting Responsibility for Phone Data Collection(The Washington Post: Ellen Nakashima)But, he said, some form of bulk collection can be preserved "that ensures the protection of our citizens while also providing us insights that generate value" in finding clues to terrorist plots and networks.

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The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad NSA Job Mike Rogers Actually Wants(National Journal: Sara Sorcher)If President Obama had posted a classified ad for the job he asked Vice Adm. Mike Rogers to take, it might look something like this…

Obama's NSA Nominee Aims to Build Trust in Beleaguered Agency(Reuters: Patricia Zengerle, Phil Stewart)Rogers pledged to look for ways to build confidence in the beleaguered spy agency and, in a possible shift, stopped short of calling former contractor Edward Snowden a traitor.

Leon Panetta Reacts to CIA-Senate Flap(Politico: Josh Gerstein)Former CIA Director Leon Panetta said he's disappointed with the dispute that has erupted in which senators are accusing the agency of subverting congressional oversight.

Snowden Inc.(Politico: Josh Gerstein)Three top advisers to Snowden said they're pleased with and somewhat surprised by his relative popularity—a popularity that persists despite the fact that U.S. officials regularly accuse him of being a traitor and a spy.

CONGRESS

CIA Accused: Senator Sees Torture Probe as Meddling(Associated Press: Donna Cassata)In an extraordinary public accusation, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee declared on Tuesday that the CIA interfered with and then tried to intimidate a congressional investigation into the agency's possible use of torture in terror probes during the Bush administration.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Lays Out a Timeline of CIA-Intelligence Committee Interactions(The Washington Post)Here is her version of what happened.

Tumult Over Military Sexual Assaults Far From Over(Associated Press: Richard Lardner)The turmoil over how to end an epidemic of sexual assaults in the U.S. military is far from over as Congress haggles over legislative remedies and new details emerge about a high-profile case.

Senate Panel 'Very Close' to Cyber Bill(The Hill: Julian Hattem)Lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee are getting "very close" to a new cybersecurity bill, according to the panel's top Republican.

New SASC AirLand Chairman on F-35 Remedy: Fully Fund It(Defense News: John Bennett)The incoming chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the Pentagon's troubled F-35 program says there's one thing Congress can do to avoid more problems: Ffully fund it.

Legislators Call on DOD to Fully Accommodate Sikh Troops(Stars and Stripes: Chris Carroll)A group of legislators is asking the Pentagon for a policy change to ensure Sikh troops are never forced to violate their religion by shaving their beards, cutting their hair, or getting rid of their turbans.

Inhofe Wants More Info on Confusing DOD Budget 'Now'(Defense News: John Bennett)The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to clear up lingering confusion about its 2015 spending blueprint. And he wants it to do so "now."

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Pentagon Official: We Need to 'Re-Look' AUMF(The Hill: Kristina Wong)A top defense official said he thought it was time to reconsider the legal authority used by the military to target terrorists around the world.

Pentagon's Disposal of $15 Billion in Items Questioned(Bloomberg: Tony Capaccio)The Pentagon discarded almost $15 billion in excess parts and material from warehouses over three years, according to two senators who said the "wasteful spending" can be curbed by ordering less.

RUSSIA/UKRAINE

Obama Team Debates How to Punish Russia(The New York Times: Peter Baker)His team finds itself torn over just how far to go using the economic weapons in America's arsenal.

U.S. Black Sea Naval Drills Start After One-Day Delay(Reuters: Angel Krasimirov)A joint naval exercise of U.S., Bulgarian and Romanian naval forces in the Black Sea has started, the Bulgarian navy said on Wednesday.

U.S. Says Russia Hasn't Created Environment for Ukraine Diplomacy(Reuters: Arshad Mohammed, Will Dunham)Russia's bloodless seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region has brought U.S.-Russian relations to one of their lowest points since the Cold War.

Obama Receives Middling Support From Americans on Ukraine Crisis(The Huffington Post: Stephen Calabria)The American public approves of imposing sanctions on Russia for its role in the crisis.

Ukraine's Crimea Seeks to Become Independent State(Associated Press: Maria Danilova)The Crimean parliament said it would declare itself independent if its residents approve a referendum to split off from Ukraine.

E.U. Eyes New Travel, Asset Sanctions Against Russia(Associated Press)European Union countries are preparing tougher new sanctions against Russia that they could impose by Monday.

AIR FORCE

Air Force to Eliminate Nearly 500 Aircraft in 25 States, D.C., and Overseas(Stars and Stripes: Jon Harper)The Air Force plans to cut nearly 500 planes from its inventory over the next five years if the Defense Department's fiscal 2015 budget request is approved by Congress.

U.S. Air Force Sticks to $550 Million Target for New Bomber(Reuters)The U.S. Air Force is "holding tight" to a target of $550 million for each new long-range bomber in a fleet of up to 100 aircraft, excluding research and development costs.

Air Force Sets Plan to Launch Sixth-Gen Fighter Program in 2018(Inside Defense)The Air Force is requesting $15.7 million for a next-generation, air-dominance research and development project that would lay the groundwork for an acquisition program in fiscal 2018.

Air Force Details Force Structure Plans(Inside Defense)The Air Force in its fiscal 2015 budget proposes cutting 500 aircraft through 2019, including as many as 164 A-10s in fiscal 2015 and 117 MQ-1 Predators between fiscal 2015 and '17.

Sequestration Means Fewer F-35s(The Standard-Examiner: Mitch Shaw)For the Air Force in particular, the fiscal 2015 budget includes $4.6 billion for 26 F-35s, which is four less than previously expected.

Air Force Hoping to Preserve New Investments Pending Aircraft Divestment, Sequestration Future(Inside Defense)The Air Force's fiscal 2015 budget has been designed so that new investments do not all reach their peak costs at once, helping the service stagger its procurement timelines.

Re-Up, Retention Bonuses for Select Few, Budget Documents Show(Air Force Times: Stephen Losey)Competition for bigger, but fewer, reenlistment bonuses will be much tighter this year and next.

NAVY

ARMY

Judge: U.S. General Sexual-Assault Trial 'Improperly Influenced' by Politics(Associated Press)Attorneys for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair will try to renegotiate a plea bargain with a new set of military officials.

ASIA/PACIFIC

Large U.S. Contingent to Take Part in South Korean Exercise(Stars and Stripes: Ashley Rowland)Nearly 10,000 U.S. troops will join the South Korean military later this month in the peninsula's largest joint amphibious landing drill.

IRAN

Rouhani Has Not Increased Freedoms in Iran, U.N. Chief Says(Reuters: Stephanie Nebehay)Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has failed to fulfil campaign promises to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election.

AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN

TRANSCOM Nominee: U.S. Reviewing Options Out of Afghanistan if Russia Doesn't Assist(Defense News: Brian Everstine)The military is reviewing alternate routes to get people and equipment out of Afghanistan, should Northern Distribution Network routes through Russia become disrupted.

Top General to Testify About Afghanistan Amid Impasse Over U.S. Troop Presence(Air Force Times: Jeff Schogol)Gen. Joseph Dunford will testify about the situation on the ground amid a continuing standoff with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

INDUSTRY

Defense Contractor To Plead Guilty(Associated Press: Audrey McAvoy)Benjamin Bishop was expected to plead guilty in federal court to one count of transmitting national defense information to a person not entitled to receive it and one count of unlawfully retaining national defense documents and plans.

USAF, Sikorsky Begin to Gear Up for Rescue Helo(Air Force Times: Aaron Mehta)Supporters of the Air Force's Combat Rescue Helicopter program should thank Congress for its late entry into the five-year budget plan, according to the service's undersecretary.

AMERICAS

Venezuela 'Sham' Resolution Renews U.S. Scorn for Organization of American States(Fox News: Judson Berger)The Obama administration complained that the supposed peace talks are supported only by the government and blasted the OAS for sticking to a platform of nonintervention.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS

Special Ops Moves from 'Perpetual War to Perpetual Engagement'(Defense One: Ben Watson)Special operations forces are currently working in more than 70 countries.

Special Operators Will Confront More Threats With Fewer Forces(The Hill: Kristina Wong)As Obama aims to get the U.S. off "permanent war footing," U.S. special operators will maintain "perpetual engagement."

TERRORISM

U.N. Drone Investigator: U.S. Must Explain Civilian Deaths(The Atlantic: Conor Friedersdorf)After a yearlong study of the use of drones to kill people, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Ben Emmerson has released his final report.

MIDDLE EAST

Mideast Ally Blasts U.S. Over Accused Terrorist Story(The Daily Beast: Eli Lake)In a rare rift between two close allies, the usually discreet United Arab Emirates has gone public over its exasperation with the State Department.

U.S. Now Calls Guantanamo Hunger Strike 'Long Term Non-Religious Fasting'(Miami Herald: Carol Rosenberg)The Defense Department has released its 3-month-old Guantanamo forced-feeding protocol, a 24-page how-to document that rhetorically recasts the yearlong hunger strike in the remote prison camps as "long term non-religious fasting."

TECH

DARPA Hopes to Build Plug-In Satellites in Space(Breaking Defense: Colin Clark)Since the program, known as Phoenix, is expected to consume a tiny $40 million to $50 million this year (in its third year), don't expect miracles any time soon.

ANALYSIS/COMMENTARY

The CIA Torture Cover-Up(The New York Times)The lingering fog about the CIA detentions is a result of Obama's decision when he took office to conduct no investigation of the interrogations.

Penalties for Mr. Putin(The New York Times)Russia's occupation of Crimea, Ukraine, and its phony referendum, demand a strong response from Europe and the United States.

Russia's Aggressive Behavior Can't Go Unchecked by the U.S.(The Washington Post: Sen. Robert Menendez)The Russian invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine is the most recent example in a series of events involving disruptive Russian behavior throughout the world.

David Brooks Is Not Making Sense(New Republic: Isaac Chotiner)Surely Brooks knows that by almost any calculation the world is much, much more peaceful than it was during the 20th century, and certainly during his beloved Cold War.

The Decline of the American War Hawk(The Atlantic: Conor Friedersdorf)There's been a backlash in the United States against foreign interventionism—but David Brooks and others just don't get it.

Ukrainian Lessons for an American President(New Republic: Leon Wieseltier)History is playing another trick on Obama. It is testing, and hopefully thwarting, his centripetal inclinations.

The White House Needs to Shut Up(Foreign Policy: Kori Schake)Every time the administration opens its mouth, it's only making things worse in Ukraine.

Russia's Plans for Crimea Were Long in the Making(The Christian Science Monitor: Dan Murphy)And the US knew that Russia was laying the ground to make a move on the strategically useful peninsula. Doing something about it is another matter.